


Gundam Wing Month - 2019

by lil_1337



Series: Morning After [16]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Explosions, F/M, First Times, Friendship, Gen, Grief, Hacker AU, Homophobia, Humor, Legends, Loss, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, New Parents, New Relationship, Plane Crash AU, Preventers, Revenge, University AU, Violence, War, Western AU, Xenophobia, anti-Semitism, parenting, tongue in cheek, wrestling au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-01-16 21:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 11,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21278336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337
Summary: A collection of drabbles and short fics posted one a day for the month of November in celebration of Gundam Wing Month.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [antigrav_vector](https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/gifts), [Tyrelingkitten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyrelingkitten/gifts), [TheYsabet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheYsabet/gifts), [sel_barton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sel_barton/gifts).

> For: cailamaia  
Prompt: 3x4, strategy (in bed)

Quatre was the master of strategy, it was one of the defining parts of his core personality that he practiced as both a skill and an art. In fact, he was so good that most people refused to play chess, or similar games, with him. Given a problem he was three steps into a solution that addressed the original issue, the secondary, and tertiary concerns before anyone else had even begun to consider the angles. 

He was a goddamn _genius_ and Trowa Barton should have the decency to respect that. 

It was downright rude the way that he could turn Quatre’s big, beautiful, brain into a pile of organic mush with a touch of his hands or worse, his lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some angst to balance out yesterday's laugh. Today's tidbit is the result of a request for a comment fic from April. You can find the original here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18412964/chapters/43641408 
> 
> For: Tyrelingkitten and blackjackcat
> 
> Prompt: Sequel to comment fic

Musical accompaniment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeW0Sl0tNS8 

“Do you want me to leave?” 

Quatre startled, a look of horror crossed his face as if his worst nightmare had been realized. His fork slipped from his fingers to clink against the fine china of his bowl in a way that made it likely it was no longer a single piece. “No! Trowa! Why would you say that?” He was out of his chair and around the table before Trowa had lifted his eyes from the untouched bowl in front of him. Gently, but with a sense of urgency Quatre pulled Trowa from his seat and led him over the couch where they could sit facing each other. “Please,” he pleaded, his voice rough and raw, with a pain the cut through him. “Talk to me. Please.” 

“I don’t know how.” Each word was leaden and their weight pushed Trowa down until his head was almost to his knees from the strain of carrying them. 

“What?” Quatre cupped Trowa’s face and tilted it up, taking on the burden for a moment. “What don’t you know?” 

“How to live.” Quatre blinked then bit his lip to keep it from trembling. Trowa’s eyes were haunted and flat as if he had already left, but his body had not yet gotten the memo. 

Pulling him close Quatre rocked them both, his arms holding Trowa tightly against him, trying to express how much Trowa was needed and love through sheer force of will. 

“The only thing I know is war.” As Trowa spoke the words began to come faster, like water pouring over a dam that destroys it as it flows. “I know how to survive, I don’t know how to live. I don’t want to fight anymore. I’ve killed so many, but that is what I know. Everything else I have done was a cover. It was never me. It was always just a way to hide. A place to be until I had to fight again. I can do things, but I would be a weapon with flowers painted on it not something that has a place in peace.” 

“Oh, Trowa.” Quatre cringed at the pain in Trowa’s voice. He pulled back, searching Trowa’s face, relieved to see that diamond splinter hurt and fear had replaced the flatness. Even pain was better than that empty nothingness. “We’re all weapons with flowers painted on them. The world that Wufei and I were prepared for is not the world we now live in. Our skills are not those that make any of us ready to be part of a society at peace. But we can make the changes we need to. Find the people inside the soldiers and make lives for ourselves. I know we can. We just need to believe in ourselves.” He paused, making sure he had Trowa’s attention. “I believe in me and I believe in you.” 

“What,” Trowa whispered. “What if you wake up one day and you don’t believe anymore? What if living means we change and you stop loving me?” 

This time Quatre couldn’t stop the tears that flowed down his cheeks. “Do you think that dying for me means I will love you forever and if you stay I’ll eventually stop?” 

Trowa nodded, his voice once again frozen at the pain he knew he was causing. 

Echoing between them was the knowledge of war that loss took many forms, but regardless of how it showed itself it was inevitable. 

Taking a deep breath, Quatre pulled himself up, eyes blazing with barely controlled fury. “Trowa Barton. I swear on my father’s grave if you purposely get yourself killed I will never forgive you and I will hate you until the day that I die.” The utter devastation on Trowa’s face almost broke him, but he held his stance and let Trowa know these were not idle words. After a moment he softened, his shoulders rounding and his expression smoothing out as he whispered, broken but just as firm in his convictions. “But if you stay and learn to live with me, I promise I will love you every moment of every day for my whole life and beyond.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This fic came about as a result of a conversation during the blood moon eclipse last year.   
For: Ysabet and Morgan
> 
> Prompt: The legend of Wufei and the dragon that ate the moon 
> 
> The fic is based very loosely on the Philippine legend of Bakunawa. My primary source of information comes from here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakunawa

“When your grandmother was young, about your age, she loved dragons.” 

“She married into the right clan.” 

A chuckle and the nod of a head. “Indeed. Her father traveled for work and would collect local legends of dragons to tell her when he returned. It was their tradition and it belonged to them alone; a rite of return and reconnection.” 

“He went away like you and mama do.” 

“Yes, Only he was gone for much longer and she was never allowed to travel with him.” 

Silence for a moment. “She must have been sad. I’m sad when you are gone.” 

“I’m sure she was and I’m sorry that you are.” 

“It’s okay, Daddy. Mommy says what you do is important for peace.” 

“Thank you. It is but you and your mother are also important.” A smile and quick hug broke the flow of the story, but only for a moment. “When I was little your grandmother would tell me the legends she learned. Her favorite was about Bakunawa, the dragon that ate the moon.” 

“A dragon didn’t eat it. It’s still up there.” One chubby finger pointed upwards to prove the point. 

“Ah, true, but this legend tells us about why a lunar eclipse happens.” 

“My teacher said it is when the moon goes into the shadow of the Earth.” 

Another chuckle. “That is the scientific understanding. Back in the time of legends, people did not know the science so they made up stories to explain why things happened.” 

“Oh.” A thoughtful pause. “So why do we have the moon if the dragon ate it?” 

“The people would see the moon being eaten and they would bang on pots and pans to chase it off or play music to hypnotize it.” 

“They would save the moon!” 

“Yes. It is important to act when you or your people are in need or in danger.” 

"What if your actions won't make a difference?" 

"Especially then. You never know how the actions of one person can change the course of history." 

A pause. “Is that why Uncle Trowa and Uncle Quatre are playing music?” 

A hug and a smile. “Yes, that is exactly why. To chase away the dragon and save the moon. ”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: Bookbyte  
Prompt: Ongoing Universe where Duo is a hacker and Heero is IT security. 
> 
> Previous part can be found here with a link to the first part: https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1094545.html?view=5854865&posted=1#cmt5854865

“Shinigami?” Heero frowned then shook his head, obviously annoyed, but he clearly thought was a flamboyant, over the top, handle.

Trowa sipped his beer and nodded. “He’s pretty famous in hacker circles, but no one seems to know who he is in the real world.” 

“Why haven’t I heard of him?” Heero toyed with his drink, clearly displeased with this hacker sized hole in his knowledge. 

“He’s not someone you would need to know. Industrial espionage is not what he does.” Trowa paused, considering, as he took another drink. “I’ve never heard of him targeting a company before. He goes after individuals. Remember that article I wrote a few months ago about white hat hackers? He was one of the people I profiled. Used all my contacts to try to get in touch with him, but no luck. The guy is invisible unless he doesn't want to be.” 

Heero growled. “Breaking the law should not be portrayed as a positive or desirable action.” 

“Maybe. But there is no denying he has done a lot of good. He’s helped put some people in jail who would have kept sliding through the cracks if he hadn’t exposed them. Saved some kids and got back some people's life savings that were stolen. As far as I could find out he doesn't get anything out of it. That gives him points in my book.” 

“It is my job to stop him and others like him.” Heero’s frown deepened and he carefully spun the glass, toying with it instead of drinking. 

Trowa chuckled, clearly amused by the whole situation. “Well, good luck with that. From what I hear this one might give you a run for your money. He’s known for stealth attacks, in and gone before the target even knows he was there."

"What else do you know about him?"

"Honestly, not much. He does all his communication online. No one knows what he looks like or even what country he lives in."

"I'll catch him. No one hacks me and gets away with it." Heero's voice was firm and he took a drink from his glass to punctuate his statement. 

Trowa finished the last if his beer and set down the mug with a grin. "Like I said, good luck with that. If you do manage to catch him let me know, I'd love to meet the guy in person. Maybe he’ll give me an interview."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake  
Prompt: Ensemble - Ninja AU

4bdnsn0wflake  
Ensemble - Ninja AU

They entered the palace like four shadows in the night. The last one, the fifth and final, was less a shadow and more the palest hint of a suggestion; the creeping sense of dread that follows you into dark and dangerous places. 

The few candles scattered about gutted and died as if an invisible breeze had passed through the room. It would have seemed natural if you didn't take the time to carefully study the timing and pattern in which they were extinguished. 

On the far wall, a guard paced in front of an opulent door, he flinched at every sound, eyes scanning wildly, trying to see everything at once. 

From their position near the door, one of the ninjas pulled a matte black throwing star from his waistband and held it in readiness for the guard to retrace his steps until he was at the closest point to their hiding spot. 

Another one shook his head, a tiny movement that would invisible to anyone who did not know to look for it, then slipped off, creeping through the steadily thickening shadows like a nightmare. In one swift movement he disarmed the guard and put him to sleep without him making a sound louder than a gentle sigh. 

With the door now unguarded it was opened, slowly and silently. The fourth ninja stepped forward. He glanced around the room. From a standing start he executed a series of flips and spins, finishing by running a few steps up on the wall. He landed soundlessly next to a series of levers that were inset into the wall. He adjusted them, listening carefully as each one was pulled before gesturing for the others that the area was now all clear.

The final ninja broke from the group, from a small, hidden, pocket he pulled a dagger made from blackened steel and crept close to the bed that dominated the room. A man with pale skin and reddish hair lay sleeping in the middle of a mound of expensive pillows and bedding. Placing the tip of the dagger to the man’s throat he whispered, “surrender.” 

Around the room, lights flickered to life and the man in the bed sat up as if there was not a razor sharp point at his throat. He smiled, pleased as he took in the camouflaged young men surrounding his bed. “You have passed the first test.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: Blackjackcat and cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: Heero and Duo in a pumpkin patch/1x2, undercover

“According to our source, the plan is to smuggle the weapons in with a load of pumpkins.” Lady Une looked around the table making sure she had everyone’s attention before continuing. “Trowa is currently undercover on the farm and the owner asked him today if he had any friends who were looking for work. Heero and Duo will be going in as day workers that he recommends. The more people we have on the ground, the easier it will be to contain the situation once the raid goes down.” 

Again there were nods. “Everyone else is on back up. Wufei and Quatre will brief you on the specifics immediately after lunch. This might be our one chance to tie Naumas to the weapons and break off the supply for this whole area.” She waited a moment for her words to sink in before smiling. “Break for lunch, be back here in an hour.” As they stood, stretching to work the kinks out she added, “thank you, for everything you do and remember, the safety of each and every agent is the most important part of the mission.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: Bookbyte  
Prompt: Morning After ‘Verse - Darren gets a manners lesson
> 
> This fic does a time skip from right after Trowa meeting Darren (https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1098903.html?thread=5881495#cmt5881495) to a week after the events in Gone Astray. 
> 
> A/N: This prompt gave me a lot of grief because the original idea was to do a classic revenge fic, but since Quatre explicitly said let it go that meant that Trowa would either have to lie, which does not fit his character, or completely disregard what Quatre asked of him, which is also way out of character. Given Quatre's character there is no way he would stay with Trowa if either of those things happened, nor should he. Plus, I didn't want to make Darren a victim and the guys the assholes. I needed to find a way to write it so that the characters stayed true to themselves and Darren got his comeuppance. Fortunately, the kiddo was willing to let me talk through the issues I was having and offered some suggestions. Once I figured out the problem, the story that I had been struggling with for 6ish months wrote itself in one evening. There is no wacky hi jinks, but I think the fic is better for that.

“I really want to do _something_, but I don’t know what I could do that would be more than just a temporary inconvenience. Quatre said to let it go, but that feels wrong. Somethings you don’t just let go.” Trowa shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with both the conversation and the person he was speaking to. “He shouldn’t be able to treat Quatre the way he did or talk the shit he does and get away with it.” 

Across the table Wufei studied Trowa, head canted to the side. “I understand your frustration.” He paused for a moment, his eyes soft as he commiserated with Trowa’s conflicting emotions. “Do you know why I did nothing when Quatre finally ended the relationship?” The disdainful expression on Wufei’s face made it clear what relationship he was referring to. 

Trowa shook his head. “You’re not the violent type?” 

Wufei snorted. “I keep those impulses carefully contained. No, when Iria and I were informed of the break up, both of us had to promise that we would not take any form of revenge on _that person_.” Wufei spit the last two words out as if they tasted foul. “I decided that my friendship with Quatre was more important than my need for vengeance.” 

Trowa sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I keep telling myself that he doesn’t need to know, but that feels wrong, like I’m lying to him.” 

“Because it is.” Wufei softened a little, placing a hand on Trowa’s arm. “You are a good person and keeping that kind of secret will eat at you until you confess. Once that happens Quatre will know he can not trust you to keep the promises you have made to him. If you kill the trust it is only a matter of time before the relationship dies no matter how much you both might want it to work.” 

“You’re right.” Trowa drew in a long, slow, breath then let it out with a huff. “How do you deal with knowing that you did nothing after everything that asshole did to hurt Quatre?” 

“I remind myself that it was Quatre’s choice to make, not mine and I honor it because I value our friendship.” He paused, his features contorting before he continued. “Plus, it has been my experience that people like _that_ always self destruct because they have no honor or sense of value at their core. When that happens there will be nothing to stop me from taking great joy in his downfall and humiliation.” 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

4 Months Later

“Yo! Hilde!” Duo waved across the crowd as he made his way over to the pick up counter. 

“Hey!” Hilde hugged Duo then let him go quickly. “How is Quatre? We heard about the crash, but that was it.” 

“Broken leg and a ton of road rash, but mostly okay. They let him go home on Sunday, but he’s still learning to use his crutches. Trowa is hovering around him like a guard dog with a new litter of puppies so Heero and I are taking food over there instead of hanging out here and bugging you.” 

Hilde laughed, “Let him know we are thinking of him and hope to see him soon.” 

“I will. How have you been? Haven’t seen you in forever. Between midterms and this thing with Quatre I’ve been sticking pretty close to home. Quatre’s home mostly.” 

“Busy. I thought everyone went home or to the beach over Spring Break. This place has been full of drunken frat boys all week.” She let the tiredness show on her face for the flash of a second then immediately clicked back to cheerful. “I did get to testify at a suspension hearing last Monday. That was fun.” 

“No, shit? Really? What happened?” 

“We had some asshole come in here a couple of weeks ago. He was drunk when he got here and he demanded we sell him booze then refused to pay for his food because we wouldn’t. He got nasty with me and Kristy. She finally called the cops and they hauled him out of here kicking, screaming, and swearing the whole way.” 

“What did the board decide?” 

“I don’t know. I just told them what happened, showed them the video and left. It was all very dignified and professional.” She laughed again. “If I had to guess he probably got some kind of disciplinary action because they were pretty horrified. He kept saying he was a student and that without them we’d have no business. He threatened to get us shut down and listed off all the board members his father was friends with. It was pretty funny to watch their embarrassment.” 

“There’s video?” Duo’s ears almost visibly perked up. “Please tell me you still have it. I need to see this temper tantrum for myself.” 

“Of course. I knew you’d want.” Hilde’s grin widened, evilly. “It’s on my phone. I’ll send it to you when I get off shift.” 

“Promise?” Duo’s voice was downright gleeful. “I could use a good dose of schadenfreude.” 

“Of course.” Hilde laughed then gave Duo another quick hug. “That one is for Quatre. Make sure you pass it on and don’t hog it for yourself.”

Duo laughed and hugged her back. “I promise.” 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Trowa’s phone vibrated and he reached for it, careful not to disturb Quatre who was sleeping with his head resting on Trowa’s stomach. Quatre’s injured leg was cushioned on a pillow and propped up on the arm of the couch. The scrapes and surface bruises were beginning to fade, giving his skin a greenish yellow tint in place. The deep bruising in his hip and back would take much longer before the effects no longer showed. 

Looking at him, Trowa no longer had to fight the urge to cry or punch something, but he was still unwilling to let Quatre out of his sight for even a minute. Next week when classes resumed that might be a problem, but for now he was going to indulge every one of his protective instincts and since Quatre didn’t seem to mind it was all good. 

Shifting into a slightly more comfortable position he checked notifications. There was a new email from Duo with a subject line that was just a forest of exclamation points. Since Quatre was deeply asleep thanks to a stomach full of his favorite pizza and some hefty pain meds Trowa opened it. The body of the email simply said ‘You have got to see this!’. He noticed that it had been sent to Heero, Wufei, Cathy, and Iria as well. Assuming it was another cat playing the piano or something similar he clicked on the file to open it. 

It spun, buffering for a minute, before opening. In it a drunken man was screaming almost incoherently “Do you know who I am? I will tell my father about this. We’ll sue you!” That continued for almost a minute before the police arrived. They proceeded to take him down to the ground, handcuff him, and lead him away, still screaming. Trowa recognized the setting and some of the background faces immediately as The Pizza Place, but the guy being filmed was only vaguely familiar. Feeling that he was missing something he responded with ‘who is that?’

It was less than a minute before he got a reply. ‘It’s the asshole! He’s suspended and has to pay a fine for underage drinking and disorderly conduct.’

Smirking, Trowa watched the video twice more. The disheveled screaming man bore very little resemblance to the attractive, put together person he and Quatre had run afoul of in the airport, so it was not surprising that Trowa had not recognized him.

Hitting reply again he sent back, ‘where did you get this?’ 

Again the answer was very quick. ‘Hilde sent me the video. She was the one who took it and was asked to go to suspension hearing as a witness. I poked some people and found out he was suspended for the rest of the year and politely asked not to come back again. The fine and shit is public information, you just need to check court records. He pled guilty and daddy paid the fine, but he’s gonna have a record. Won’t mean much probably, but he’s an adult so they can’t lock it.’ 

‘Good. He deserves everything they do and more.’ Trowa replied. He paused for a minute, considering, then clicked reply all. He cleared the names except for Wufei then typed, ‘Enjoy your joy. I am.’, then sent it before setting the phone to the side. He would watch it again later, but right now, revenge had much less appeal than his new favorite hobby of watching Quatre sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: 4+5, picking rings

“What type of ring are you looking for?” The clerk’s tone was flatly neutral almost bordering on disinterest, though she stood closer to the more expensive pieces of jewelry hinting that they had her approval.

“The perfect one.” 

Next to Wufei, Quatre laughed, clearly amused. 

“Well, we hope that we will be able to help you with that.” The clerk attempted a smile, but failed. “Is there a particular color that has significance in your relationship?” 

“Pink diamonds, Wufei?” The words were said with a smirk definitely not meant as a serious suggestion. 

“Winner…” Wufei’s tone was almost a growl. “No pink,” he added, turning his attention back to the clerk. He paused, considering. “Red perhaps? It was the color of my clan.” 

Next to him Quatre shook his head. “Red is not really Relena’s color. She can wear it well, but it doesn't capture all of who she is. Something a little softer maybe a shade of blue?” 

Wufei sighed, obviously frustrated. “She said she is over pastels.” 

“Or.” Quatre stopped looking at the jewelry in the case and turned his full attention on Wufei. “ You could come back tomorrow with Relena and let her pick out the ring she wants instead of the two of us standing here guessing and probably getting it wrong.” 

“Yes.” Wufei huffed out a sigh and flashed Quatre a genuine smile. “I think I will do that.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake  
Prompt: Duo - remembrance

Every year on L2 there is a day of mourning and remembrance for those souls lost in the Maxwell Church Massacre. People gather to pray and pay their respects to the victims. The events are televised and one of the highest rated shows every year. 

Every year Duo is invited to speak and pay his respects to those he lost. His status as a survivor and a Gundam Pilot means that his presence would give it a stamp of validation that one else can.

Every year he throws the invitation in the trash, unopened. He refuses to answer the calls no matter how often they come or who they are from. 

The pain and grief he feels is not something he is willing to put on public display. The war is over and he no longer needs to keep it close to him, to hold onto the pain, fear, and rage to keep himself moving forward, to keep him fighting when all he wants to do is stop, forever. His loss is personal and caused a rift in his soul that will never heal. 

Instead of parading out the loss of Sister Helen and Father Maxwell once a year he chooses to remember them every day in the life he lives, the person he is, and by always trying to make the lives he touches a little bit better.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: Team relationship (romantic or platonic), firsts

Trowa and Quatre were the first to kiss, the first to date, and most likely the first to do things that are better kept behind closed doors. No one was surprised since it was such a natural outgrowth of their friendship. Honestly, everyone was just waiting for the day that the inevitable happened and they became a couple. 

Heero and Duo were technically third but because of the communications lag between the colonies and Mars they came in second, followed almost immediately by Zechs and Lu. It wasn’t long after that Relena asked Wufei out and despite much grumbling about women and proprieties he agreed and that was that. 

The one that surprised everyone, even causing Duo to do a spit take, was the day that Lady Une showed up holding hands with Sally Po.


	11. Chapter 11

The day started out beautifully, with a bright sun, a soft breeze, and just a few high, puffy, clouds. A perfect fall day for a walk and a picnic. Maybe a little making out on the blanket once the meal was over. To aid digestion of course. It wasn’t long before the wind picked up and thunder could be heard rumbling off in the distance, sending the clouds rushing in front of it. As they stood debating how to proceed, Trowa was for heading back to the warmth of the house, but Quatre wasn't ready to give up on the day just yet, the heavens opened up and rained down on them in the form of increasing large bits of icy cold hail. 

The cave was exactly what they were looking for, a warm, dry shelter from the storm that was beginning to rage around them. It didn’t go very deep, but they were able to huddle under the blanket in the picnic basket and enjoy their lunch and even get in a little of that highly anticipated making out. That was until the wine got tipped over and the ants decided to show up to get their share of a tasty red and a place out of the cold and wet.

The storm had passed and despite the dampness the air was warm and fresh smelling with just a hint of chill underneath. The birds were singing and the flowers doing their last bloom of the year competing with leaves that had just begun to change colors. The walk back to the house was just wonderful and despite wet hair, a few wine stains, and an assortment of ant bites all was good with the world. That was until Quatre's foot went through some seemingly solid leaf litter and he fell into the hole, taking Trowa with him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: bookbyte
> 
> Prompt: Western Universe - Duo seeing Heero after he cleans up the strays.
> 
> You can find the previous part here: https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1092782.html?replyto=5854126 with links to the earlier parts. This I think might be the final one, but I've said that before.

You can find the previous part here: https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1092782.html?replyto=5854126 with links to the earlier parts. This I think might be the final one, but I've said that before.

“It’s done. The last of the strays are in jail and the rest are in Master O’s tender care.” Duo pulled the worn hat off of his head and hit it against his leg raising a cloud of dust that allowed hints of the original black to show through, though much lighter in color than when he’d bought it off the rack in Professor G’s general store. “There’s no need for you to be up.” He glared at the sheriff who was leaning heavily against the door frame of Doctor J's house and makeshift office. “J’s not gonna be happy if you mess up all of his hard work.” 

“I’m the sheriff. I have responsibilities.” Heero pushed off from the door frame and stood, swaying slightly from side to side, as if he was a first time sailor trying to find his sea legs. 

“Damn right you do.” Duo met Heero’s steely eyed glaze without flinching or backing down. “First one is to not bleed out on main street and scare the bejesus out of what’s left of the town. The second is to heal up so that we have a sheriff to keep another gang from taking over now that Dekim’s gone. The respectable folks needed to be protected.” 

“Someone needs to contact the rangers and get those strays to the county seat for trial.” Heero was looking even less sturdy on his feet, but he was not about to back down either. 

“Already done.” 

Heero frowned, fumbling for another reason. “Someone needs to man the office.” 

Duo paused, considering for a moment before nodding. “Alright. I’ll help you out over there. I can watch the office while you rest.” Duo looped his arm around Heero, taking some of his weight to help him down the steps of Doctor J’s office. 

“What about the saloon?” Heero relaxed now that he was heading back to the Sheriff’s office and allowed Duo support him. They had barely crossed the street when he began to sag, his bravado starting to fade in that small amount of time, and let Duo take over supporting the bulk of his weight.

“Hilde knows where to find me if she needs me.” Duo shifted, getting more of his shoulders in under Heero’s arm to keep them both from tipping over into the dirt. “Plus, it’ll only be a few days.” There was a streak of appeasement that Heero chose to ignore.

“Alright.” Heero sagged a little more, feeling the stitches in his side stretch uncomfortably, but hold, at least for the moment. “Shouldn’t be more than a week.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: Gen, exhaustion

Wufei could not remember ever being this tired. Not even during the war when he had often gone for days with only the most minimal amount of rest. Granted, he had been younger then, but he’d also been a child in need of extra sleep to develop and grow. 

Now, he was feeling his years with extra time added on for the hours spent in the cockpit of a Gundam. Then again, maybe he had just gotten soft, spoiled by his return to an easier life, filled with soft beds and a regular eight hours of rest a night. It was much more like the one he had lived as a child, before the war and all it's demands on his body and spirit.

Whatever the reason for his current state of sleep deprivation, he was beginning to feel like a zombie. As much as he hated to admit it, maybe it was time to rethink Quatre’s offer to hire a nanny, even if it was only for the short term.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: blackjackcat
> 
> Prompt: A recipe that goes horribly wrong. Murphy's Law. The more involved the better.

Heero stood shaking his head, looking mournfully at the remains of what used to be his garage/workshop. His pride and joy. Currently, it was a shattered ruin of itself. 

Things had started out innocently enough. For Gundam pilots, anyway. 

Duo had been tinkering with the recipe for some pyrotechnics, trying to up the concussive force without setting fire to everything around the center of the explosion. A nice, neat, well organized explosion that would make clean up a breeze and minimize collateral damage. 

Not long after he started Trowa and Quatre had shown up as promised. Trowa suggested some portions he had used in the war and Quatre brought with him a sample of one of the new, not yet patented mining explosives that WEI R and D was currently in the process of perfecting. 

It went downhill from there, as things often do when you add Gundam pilots to an equation. 

The next thing Heero knew, Wufei had joined them and added a few ingredients from his special mix. Other than a few squabbles over what chemicals would be optimal and in what portions everything had been fine. That was until Hilde arrived with pizza and drinks. Something in the potent mix of pizza grease and carbonation had set off a chain reaction that had resulted in the death of Heero's beloved garage/workshop.

Fortunately, there were no injuries and the damage had been completely contained within the framework of the building. As an added bonus, Duo was very pleased with the outcome. Unfortunately, Heero now had no place to park his car or work on the projects he had planned.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake
> 
> Prompt: Trowa+Duo - hot dog eating contest
> 
> Morning After Universe

“What are you watching?” Trowa plopped down on the sofa in the dorm’s common area next to where Duo was sprawled out, taking up much more than his usual share of the cushion. 

“A hot dog eating contest.” 

“In a movie?” There was hope in Trowa’s voice along with a big question mark.

“Nope. It’s on the sports channel.” Duo had the flat tone of someone who had just finished a semesters worth of projects and tests, but had not yet begun the process of resting and recovering. 

“Since when do you watch sports?" Trowa eyed his roommate, wondering for a second if he was in an alternate universe. "Also, how the hell is eating hot dogs a sport?”

“It was the channel that was on and I’m too lazy to change it. No idea on the other part though.” 

“Oh.” There was silence, relatively, for a moment as Trowa shifted his mental processes back into neutral. “Want to go get hot dogs?” 

“You know I do.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: blackjackcat and cailamaia  
Prompts: Caramel apples. Everyone's take and 6x9, red

“What are those?” Wufei pointed to the large pink box of designer goodies sitting in the middle of the break room table. 

“Caramel apples.” Duo took a bite of the one he held by its colorful stick and grinned. 

“They have been checked, presumably.” 

“Sally made sure they weren’t poisoned or full of razor…” Duo pretended to shake then let his head droop to the side while keeping a careful hold on his treat.

“Funny, Maxwell.” Wufei looked through the box, finding the one with the least amount of caramel on it and began carefully scraping it off to expose the dark red of the fruit underneath it. 

Across the table Trowa saluted Wufei with his apple, taking a bite and then offering it Quatre who nibbled it before handing it back. Next to them, Lu and Zechs were finishing theirs off, each working on their own side until they met in the middle for a caramel flavored kiss.

“Are you not going to partake, Yuy?” Wufei cut off a section of the now mostly naked apple and popped it into his mouth. Chewing slowly as he savored the sweetness.

Heero took a sip of his coffee then smiled, pointing to the core and stick sitting on a napkin in front of him. “I already have."


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: Windsor Blue
> 
> Prompt: Quatre, Duo and Relena are in student government and Trowa, Heero, and Wufei are ANT*FA. They meet during a protest.
> 
> Warnings: Homophobia, xenophobia, anti-antisemitism, violence, intimidation, hate crimes
> 
> Link the previous part is here: https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1095393.html

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This fic was based on two things. One, this picture: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DHKi6lmXsAAoc07.jpg:large and the conversation that resulted from it. Two, my personal reaction to what happened in Charlottesville several years ago and a need to process it. 
> 
> I knew from the beginning this was going to be a longer fic and an emotional one so i decided to break it down into chunks instead of doing it as one whole piece.The first few chapters are fairly innocuous, but we are now to the point where warnings for violence, intimidation, and hate is necessary. 
> 
> Out of respect for those killed, injured, and traumatized I have kept the setting very generic and the fic will not completely mirror the actual events, but use them as an inspiration for something fictional.
> 
> A/N 2: I ended up swapping Duo’s and Wufei's roles because it made more sense once I thought about it.
> 
> A/N 3: I had a lot of struggles with this chapter. We have gotten to the point where I can no longer stretch out the lead in and had to move to the body of the fic and that is not fun or anything that I want to dwell on, but it needs to be done or the story doesn't get told. Every time I tried to write Quatre's part it wouldn't flow, I would get a little ways in and it would stall. I had to remind myself that in this universe Quatre is young and naive. He has no experience with anything even remotely like this. He needed a push, which he got and then he was off and running.  
Sadly, to get the meet cute part and make it even a tiny bit believable Quatre is going to have to be stripped of some of his idealism. But, that is a problem for future me to worry about.

A line of sweat rolled down Trowa’s back, leaving a vaguely itchy sensation behind it. He resisted the urge to fidget or scratch even though he badly wanted to. Tension was high and if something happened, it would most likely be in the blink of an eye. He needed to be focused and ready not letting himself be distracted by something as minor as an unscratched itch. At least the bandanna that covered his face from the eyes down was helping to filter some of the heaviness out of the air which made breathing a little easier. The two probably balanced each other out in some cosmic sense. 

He was deeply worried about the number of groups he could see that were proudly sporting nazi, neo-nazi, and other hate group symbols on their clothes and jewelry. Three of the groups he recognized, having clashed with them at other protests, but there were a lot of people had never seen. Either the movement was growing or tomorrow's rally was pulling people from a long distance away. Either way, Jay's concerns about escalating violence were well founded. A good number of the leadership had records for assault or worse and as far Trowa could see they were all armed, a lot of them had multiple weapons visibly displayed as an intimidation tactic. They would not hesitate to lash out and were looking for a reason, any reason to justify, violence against anyone who did not look or think like them. Trowa had learned that the hard way. His shoulder twinged as if to underline his thoughts. 

In front of the makeshift stage students were gathering in groups of two and three. It was a small crowd, particularly in comparison to the people lurking around the edges like hyenas scoping out a herd of gazelle. He could see Heero across the commons, a darker spot in the growing shadows. Duo, Cathy, Jay, and others were scattered around the area. Even though Trowa couldn’t see them he could sense they were there. 

On stage, a young woman, blonde and conventionally attractive, stepped up to the microphone, testing it before introducing herself as Relena Dorlain, Student Council President. Trowa glanced at her then moved his attention back to the crowd that had begun to make its way onto the grass, oozing like slime spreading across the top of a healthy pool of water. They moved slowly, spreading out to surround the area and sending Trowa into high alert. He could feel the adrenaline singing a song of action down his nerves.

Using muscle memory he checked his weapon to make sure the safety was off and it was ready if he needed it. 

His gut and experience were whispering loudly in his ear that things were about to get very, very ugly. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“...regardless of who you love or how you worship. Basic dignity is something....” 

“Faggot!” The word was screamed, a battle charge of sorts as the group surged forward, pushing and stumbling in their eagerness to get close enough to hurt someone. Chants of, “We won’t be replaced!” filled the air along with all manner of slurs. Even with the microphone Quatre could no longer be heard over the shouts and screams that echoed across the commons to bounce off the empty buildings that surrounded it. 

The group of students in front of the stage had jumped to their feet as if they were a single entity, stuffing blankets and food into their backpacks. Fear was palpable and showed on the faces of both the audience and the student council members on stage. 

A bottle whizzed past Quatre’s head, missing him by less than an inch. He looked around trying to spot security, but couldn’t see them or the promised police support anywhere. He stood frozen, microphone in hand. His years of student government had taught him how to speak in front of a crowd and keep people engaged in what he was saying, but they had not prepared him for the utter chaos and violence spreading out in front of him. This was not how people acted in his world. In a flash he saw that Wufei was right. His hopes for a peaceful dialogue had been incredibly naive. As his world crumbled around him Quatre stood stock still in the middle of the chaos, unable to formulate a plan or even give himself permission to do so. He had failed and as a result people were going to be hurt, maybe even killed.

It might have been a second or an hour later when Quatre felt a hand on his arm and then a sharp jerked to the side. Something crashed into the stage next to him releasing a sharp odor of alcohol and petroleum. “We need to get these people out of here.” Quatre turned, then looked up into a pair of deep green eyes framed by a black beanie and a dark bandanna that was folded in a triangle to cover the lower part of the person’s face. “Now!” 

Something snapped in Quatre and he shook his head as if he was coming up for air. Looking around, his gaze settled on the student government building, a solid brick structure that he happened to have keys for. “The government building. We can get in there.” He pointed to designate what he was talking about. 

“Go! Get it open and take as many people with you as you can,” 

Quatre moved, his feet taking him towards the back of the stage before his brain was even engaged. Gesturing for the rest of the student council who were huddled there to follow him, he jumped down to the grass and took off, loafers slipping on the slick grass. The sounds of conflict nipped at his heels like baying hounds, but he made it in record time. After a moment of fumbling he got the door unlocked and flung it open. 

As if by magic, Wufei appeared at his shoulder to help herd people into the building. "Take these." Quatre shoved the keys into Wufei's hands. "Get them into the Student Council office and call the police." 

"Where are you going?" Wufei made a grab for Quatre's arm, but he dodged, just barely slipping away. 

"To get everyone else." Grimly determined, Quatre spun on his heel and headed back into the fray. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heero was moving as soon as he saw the bottle in the air, knowing that the others would be doing the same thing. The important thing now was to get between the students and the wave of violent hatred about to break onto them. The front line had already reached the stage and the kids huddled in front of it for protection. They were screaming and taunting as Heero pushed his way through. So far it had all been verbal, but would be more than enough to induce PTSD in someone for the rest of their life. Physical injury or worse did not need to added to the mix. 

Putting his back to the terrified students, he moved into a solid stance, weapon held perpendicular to his body. To his right he heard a scream and felt the people behind him shift to his left. He moved with it, keeping himself centered in front of as many people as he could. He could feel them shifting to hide behind him, letting him be the barrier that he was meant to be. Using his weapon as a push bar he shoved back as the forward movement attempted to overwhelm him with sheer numbers pushing people back into the surging crowd. 

In front of him, the crowd shifted as a large blond man pushed his way through. His sleeveless jean vest was covered in buttons and patches that covered the whole range from homophobia to racism with a special section for xenophobia and misogyny. He towered over Heero and leaned in to scream slurs and threats in his face. 

When Heero did not flinch or give ground the man swore, pulled his arm back, and swung. The blond was surprisingly fast for a man his size, but Heero slid in under his punch and slammed the butt of his weapon into the man’s jaw, knocking him back. As if in slow motion he stumbled backwards then crumpled to the ground, unconscious. For a moment it was silent as everyone stared at the man on the ground. Then a howl, like the whine of an oncoming tornado spread out followed for a single push as as a mass of hate filled humanity shoved forward.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake
> 
> Prompt: Relena - unflappable

It seemed strange, contradictory even, to Heero that the same Relena who could face down a Gundam, take on OZ, speak in front of millions of people, and bring out the softer side of Wufei would be brought to tears just by holding a single, new, person.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: Morgan and Ysabet 
> 
> Prompt: Trowa and Wufei wrestling WWE style

Trowa stepped out of the wings to the familiar strains of calliope music. His fighter name, Harlequin, was projected on the wall in large yellow and green letters to match the clown pants of his costume. He posed as the music built then took a running start and back flipped his way down the aisle to the ring. He could hear the screams and cheers, but he blocked them out focusing on where his body was in space and getting to the right mind set for the match ahead. He loved the athleticism of his job and performing, but most of the time he could without the people part. 

On the final flip he sprang up, twisting several times in the air before landing, perfectly balanced, on the top ring rope. His years as a circus acrobat showing in his complete comfort with only a rope to stand on. Once again he posed, encouraging the crowd to cheer louder before he jumped down onto the mat. From a stand still he flipped in the air as the announcer ran through Harlequin's stats and current rivalries.

As he took his bows, the announcer reminded the crowd that this was a tag team match and Harlequin was partnered with Wufei this time. 

Again, music rolled out over the crowd only this time it had the cadence of a war drum. When Wufei stepped out from the wings he was bathed in red and gold lights. The crowd began to chant “_honor_,_ justice_,_honor_,_ justice_” until the sound of the words echoed off the walls at a deafening decibel. His path down the aisle was slower as he posed repeatedly to show off his martial arts moves. His mastery was clearly not for show as he shifted smoothly from one to the next.

The crowd ate it up and the volume of their cheers rose to a crescendo when he slid under the lower rope then bounced to his feet to stand back to back with, ready to take on anyone who dared climb into the ring.

The lights danced away from them to highlight the tag team known as The Alliance, made up of two heels, Alex and Mueller, who were best known for pissing other wrestlers off in and out of the ring. According to the current story line they were at odds with Wufei and Harlequin had stepped in as his friend so they could do a tag team match. It promised to be all the things the crowd wanted in a fight. The Alliance had a reputation for dirty fighting and the fans loved to hate them as did the wrestlers who had to face them in the ring.

They were slated to lose this fight, and they would after the audience had been given the fight they'd paid for. The good news for The Alliance was that since they were going up against Wufei and Harlequin they were bound to look damn good doing it.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: bookbyte from the original prompt by mookiegatto
> 
> Prompt: Yes please! It will be either a glorious conclusion or the spark to a new beast. :D - What is happening with Wufei. 
> 
> Previous part can be found here: https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1092524.html

Wufei eyed Heero across the top of his tea, noting the hint of a smile that tugged at his partner’s lips. It was almost time to go home and yet Heero had said nothing, given no clue as to the reason for his almost palpable happiness. Annoyed at himself for having even the slightest interest in Heero’s personal life Wufei set the mug down harder than he planned, pulling Heero’s gaze from the report he was reading to focus squarely on Wufei.

“I made an error in judgement and created a riff which was difficult to address, but not insurmountable. Though, it took me some time to understand what the error was and how to approach without further damaging the relationship.” He paused, his expression softening by a micrometer. “Your advice to be honest was the correct path and I should have followed it. I was afraid of the possible consequences and chose to take the indirect route instead. For the future I will remember that speaking directly and honestly will lead to the optimal outcome for everyone.” 

Wufei nodded, pleased with Heero’s acknowledgement, but feeling no need to linger on it. “And now?” 

“Mission accomplished.” Heero allowed himself a smile that warmed even the ice blue of his eyes. 

“Ah, that is good news.” Wufei smiled in return. “I’m sure Winner will be pleased to hear.” 

“In due time.” 

Wufei chuckled, his eyes drifting back to his computer screen now that his curiosity had been satisfied. “Of course.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake
> 
> Prompt: Heero - he remembers the first time he cried

It wasn’t over the little girl and her dog. He was too much in shock to process the fact that he had caused the death of someone who had been kind to him to shed any tears for them. But, he did learn about the cost of war on the people who had no part in it. This knowledge made him look beyond his targets to the impact of his actions on innocents. 

It wasn’t when he broke his leg jumping out of the Alliance hospital window. He was used to physical pain and it would take a lot more than a simple broken bone to make his body react. He did learn, however, that others could feel his pain, both literally and metaphorically, and they could hurt for him. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with that information, but he stored it away to unpack at some time in the future. 

It wasn’t when he self destructed. He had accepted the inevitability of death and had tried to kill himself once before, unsuccessfully. What he did learn was that the nuclear option wasn’t always the best and his death would not have changed anything. It made him think about his choices and how there might be other things he could do without immediately jumping from plan A to plan Z.

It wasn’t when Relena was kidnapped. He knew that she would be rescued if he had to burn the universe down to do it. He did learn that he cared for her beyond her role in creating and maintaining peace. Not in a romantic way, but as a person he could talk to and trust. That made start to believe that if other people liked and respected the person he was then maybe he could too.

No, nothing to do with war or death had the power to bring Heero Yuy to tears. He’d had that trained out of him when he was very young and carried those scars deep in his soul. It was the announcement of the end of the war and the knowledge that everything would now be different that made him break down and weep like the child he had never been allowed to be.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake
> 
> Prompt: Relena+Quatre - bonding over a common hobby

“Did you see Senator MacMillion at the last session? I wanted to tap his hair to see if would shatter.” Relena fought to hold back giggles and let an expressive eye roll speak for her. 

Quatre snorted. “It’s a wig you know. Though I think it might be sculpted out of gundanium instead of hair. It's unnatural the way it doesn't move in the wind.” 

“Seriously?” Relena made a big gesture with her hands. “That explains so much!” 

“The junior senator from Mars swears she accidentally walked in on him when he had it off and he was bald as an egg!” 

“I like her.” Relena smoothly shifted gears knowing that Quatre would follow her. “She stands up for her people and she doesn’t let the old guard intimidate her. I admire her courage and her confidence.” 

“So do I. She has the potential to go a long way if she decides to make a career of it. I’ve heard that Alistion tried to bribe her to vote with him against the Non-Aggression Act and she turned him down flat, refused to even listen to what he had to say." 

“Good for her. We should invite her to tea when we get back.” Relena grinned, eyes gleaming. 

“I think we should.” Quatre agreed, a slightly evil smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I think she has earned a chance to be part of the anti-corruption squad.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A couple of years ago, sel_barton did a prompt based on the song "I'll Come for You" by Nickelback. It ended up being a couple of scenes with Relena in a plane crash and the pilots going to look for her. I left it very open ended because it could easily have been a long fic all on it's own. There were requests to know what happened and here we are years later getting close to the end. I hope. 
> 
> Previous part can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16493393/chapters/39217881

Relena was frustrated. Her whole body hurt and there was nothing to distract herself with. No way to take her mind off how she was stranded with nothing to do and dependant on other people to save her. She hated feeling helpless and not in control of herself or her life. 

She had food and water that she had scavanaged from the plane and the surrounding area. She had checked the radio and as far as she could tell it was not working. No sound was coming out of it and when she spoke into the microphone, there was no response. She made a mental note to learn more about how radios worked including basic troubleshooting and repair once she was back with people who were knowledgeable about those kinds of things. But, for now she had nothing to do but wait. 

She’d used one of the blankets she had found to cover Randy. There was no doubt in her mind that his skill along with a large helping of luck were the reasons she was still alive. The blanket wouldn’t stop a large, determined predator, or a small determined one for that matter, but it was all she had to try to shield him with. When they got out of this, she refused to think about it as an if, she would make sure that everyone knew he had saved her life. 

Now, it was late morning or early afternoon and she had nothing to do. Her phone had died so she couldn’t even dictate notes for her next speaking engagement or study the budget bills she had been going over before everything went to hell. She had found her briefcase, but all the papers in it were gone. She could remember parts of what she had read, but not enough to even poke at the issues mentally.

She couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t been busy. Even when she was in school there was homework, clubs, and social events that all required her time. Everything was so important and it all needed her personal attention. She’d lost the ability, if she’d ever had it, to create and enjoy downtime for herself. 

She tried to remember the last time she and Wufei had taken time for themselves. A weekend or even just a day away from everything. The only thing that immediately came to mind was their honeymoon. That couldn’t be right, they were always talking about getting away for a couple days and spending time together, just the two of them. Yet she couldn’t recall ever actually doing it. Had they never managed it? A creeping feeling of guilt started to slip into her thoughts, coloring and twisting them. 

Surely, the other couples she knew had the same struggles. What they were doing was important and time was precious. _Not true_, that little voice whispered. Quatre regularly took long weekends or extra time at lunch to spend with Trowa. Zechs and Noin had just returned from a week at the beach. Heero and Duo just seemed to disappear now and then. She had always assumed they were on an undercover mission. In retrospect maybe she had been correct, just that it was a different kind of undercover than she had thought. 

This realization put a whole different spin on the conversation she and Wufei had been having when the plane went down. She loved him, there was no doubt about that. If her feelings had changed it was that they had deepened and matured. It was clear that she had not been holding up her part of the relationship. As soon as she was rescued, that was going to change.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The hike to the crash site had been intense, but the one back was grueling. There was no hope to spur Wufei on and the silence that hung over the group was no longer a sign of focus, but leaden with the ragged edges of a growing worry that was becoming more and more difficult to contain. Fear gnawed at Wufei like starving lions on the carcass of the first wildebeest of the season. 

Fear that Relena was already gone, or worse, that they would find her in time for her to die in his arms. Could life be that cruel that it would repeat the worst moment of his life? Was he destined to argue with, then lose, any woman brave or foolish enough to call him husband?

Next to him, Quatre stumbled, caught himself, and kept going, though minutely slower than before. A glance from the periphery of Wufei’s vision showed a reflection of the stomach clenching worry and exhaustion that he was feeling on Quatre’s face. For the space of a moment the world extended beyond Wufei and his pain enough to remind him that he was not alone in this limbo and if the worst thing happened, he would not be alone then either. The thought did nothing to ease his fear or pain, but it made him feel safe in a way he hadn’t since he was a small child.

They crested the rise and Wufei came to an abrupt halt, yelling to Heero that he needed a five minute rest. Looking around Wufei could see the signs he’d missed before, in the others as well. Trowa was stretched out on the ground, his body making contact with Quatre in every place possible. Duo was silent, his usual non-stop chatter more noticeable for its absence. Heero’s eyes remained fixed on the horizon as he pulled his canteen from his pack more through muscle memory than conscious effort, an active frown replacing his usual neutral expression.

The realization that these people, these friends, hurt not only for themselves, but for him as well hit him with the force of an unpulled gut punch. They had been there and supported him and would continue to, but right now it was his turn to help pull them out of the well that unrealized hope had sent them spiraling into. “Heero.” He waited for Heero to refocus his attention. “What is our next step?” 

“Return to camp. I want to look at the maps again.” Wufei was not at all surprised to find that Heero had already begun planning what to do. 

“What are you looking for, specifically?” Quatre’s head was resting on Trowa’s arm and his eyes were closed, but his voice was clear and crisp.

“Wufei said that the phone was cutting out when the plane started going down.” 

“Yes.” Wufei pushed away the pain that threatened to overwhelm him at the memory and focusing on the details of the moment. 

“If we match the flight path with the areas of limited phone reception it is possible to narrow our search parameters.” 

Quatre sat up, smiling, hope once again showing beneath the exhaustion. “I think you’re right Heero.” 

Invigorated by the sense of knowing that all was not lost and Quatre’s renewed positive energy Wufei climbed to his feet. “The sooner we get back to camp, the sooner we can get started.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Laid out side by side the topographical and cell phone coverage maps took up the entirety of one of the camp tables in the makeshift staging office. Another small table off to the side was covered with the remains of a hasty and still in process meal that had been interrupted by the arrival of a cell phone coverage map. The topographical one was covered in markings of various colors. Blue indicated the original flight plan filed prior to lift off. Red showed the areas that had been searched by air with green highlighting any places that the air search was unable to see due to trees or ground cover. To Heero’s mind there was way too many of those, scattered all over some seriously inhospitable terrain. 

Currently, he was watching as Trowa meticulously copied the cell phone coverage areas from one map to the other. He could look from one to the other and see the overlays in his head, but it needed to be there in figurative black and white for everyone else to see. He would not expect them to make life and death decisions based on his word. He knew that everyone in the room trusted him enough to do just that, but this situation required more than that. 

Trowa brushed his hair out of his face and blew out a breath, capping his marker as he set it to the side. The contrast in the colors made it clear where the lines overlapped. He shifted back away from the table to give Heero space to move in where he would have access to the full picture. 

Heero studied the map for a second then pointed to the single circle of orange. “This is where the last contact was made by the tower. We know Relena’s phone cut out when she was talking to Wufei. Which should put her right in this area.” He pointed to an area encircled by Red with several spots of green inside it. “The search teams are covering those areas with dogs right now.” 

He looked around the table acknowledging the nods. “And?” Duo raised an eyebrow prodding Heero to keep speaking.

“And they might be right, but I think we are looking in the wrong place. There are no areas of limited cell phone coverage in that area. It is possible that whatever was happening with the plane caused the interference, but I am not willing to bet Relena’s survival on it.” 

His eyes met Wufei’s and held them, before returning his gaze to the map. “If one of the engines malfunctioned it could have pulled the plane off course enough that they ended up here.” He pointed to an oblong area of brown just outside of the main search area.

Heero watched their faces as they considered his words as well as the possible consequences of wasting their time and energy in the wrong place. None of them were egotistical enough to need to be the ones to find Relena and would be just as happy if one of the search and rescue teams did. They were the only team with the ability to move independently and if Relena was where Heero suspected she was the other groups would have to completely search their assigned area before moving into a new one. That would take days that Relena might not have.

“How soon until wheels up? Quatre asked, speaking for the group. He eyed the food still covering the table meaningfully. “We should finish eating and replenish our supplies. We are going to need all the energy we can.”

Heero nodded. “I’ll go speak with Roger and find out a timeline.” 

“After you eat.” Quatre’s voice was gentle with an undertone of steel that would not take no for an answer. 

“Agreed.” Heero felt a small smile tug at his lips and let it through. He could be finished in five minutes and that miniscule amount of time he was willing to spend to reassure Quatre.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake  
Prompt: Ensemble - waterslide

The storm had dumped more rain than expected, flooding the area and sending people scrambled for higher ground. When Preventers offered assistance to the local government they grabbed at it with both hands and held on tight. 

Heero and Wufei were tasked with looking for looters and price gouging which they did with great gusto, much to the dismay of the people that ran afoul of them. Duo, Quatre, and Trowa went out in the search and rescue boats looking for people and animals in need of help getting to safety. 

Those that were hungry and scared, but otherwise in good health were taken to one of the staging areas that had been turned into shelters for people and animals. Those in need of medical care went to the field hospital being run by Sally, Zechs, and Noin. 

When they left, the better part of two weeks later, the waters had begun to recede enough that people could safely return to their homes and start the process of clean up and repair. On their way out of town they crossed over the previously impassible bridge and noticed that what had been a water slide for detritus and storm debris was back to being a gurgling waterfall that welcomed and refreshed picnickers.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: Morgan 
> 
> Prompt: The pilots as dragons

Wufei - Chinese   
Heero - Japanese   
Quatre - Arabian   
Duo - Western   
Trowa - Russian

The council of five sat on or curled around their thrones. Soon they would take their mortal forms as five young men and descend from their home in the heavens. The Earth was once again in danger and it was their time to step in and protect her as it had been prophesied. 

Wufei would be the first, rising out of the depths of Lake Qinghai. His mission would be to bring water and renewed prosperity to parts of the world suffering from drought and famine. 

Next would be Heero, the protector of innocents. He would descend from the mountain of bodies in war torn areas. He would fight off the aggressors and return the lands to those it had been stolen from.

On his heels was Trowa, who tamed the wildest weather with the touch of his hand. He sent wayward clouds to Wufei to help him bring water to those in need and lightning to Heero to strike down those that would abuse others.

Quatre was next, protecting those in need from the elements. He worked with Trowa, appearing out of nowhere to defend those in danger while Trowa calmed the weather that threatened them. Together they made sure that people would live to see another day in a world that would now be able to support them.

The last to descend was Duo, a fire breathing embodiment of vengeance. While the other members of the council worked to restore the balance to Earth and her children Duo stalked the night, finding those responsible for harming his mother. First, he would take from them the treasures they hoarded and then, when they were broken and bereft, he would strip them of the thing they held most dear. Their immortal souls.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake
> 
> Prompt: Wufei - sleeping with one eye open

During the First Eve War Wufei learned to sleep with one eye open. Even when he was in a place of relatively safe such as Peacemillion or Nataku's cockpit he needed to be ready to defend himself and his comrades at a moment's notice. It wasn’t a great or even a good way to live, but it was one that made the chances of surviving another day much higher and that was what important. He could rest later, when the war was over or he had died gloriously in battle. 

When he joined up with Dekim between the two eve wars it was no better. Everyone wanted a piece of him. A chance to prove they were tougher than the Gundam Pilot and they weren't always honorable about how they went after him. Not that any of them even came close to defeating him. 

Now, as a part of Preventers, he has finally learned to begun trust others and to believe that they have his back. Repeated successes have shown him that sometimes, under very specific circumstances and with very specific people, he can finally close both eyes and truly let himself rest.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompts:Team relationship (romantic or platonic), anniversaries

Every year on the anniversary of the declaration of peace the pilots get together. It does matter if it has been eleven months or eleven hours since they last saw each other. The day is spent in solemn reflection and remembrance of those lost. They tell stories when the need strikes but also spend time in silent contemplation. Then, when the day is over and respect has been paid to the sacrifices of those lost they spend the evening enjoying each others friendship. They do something silly and fun to remind themselves that the war is over, against all odds they survived, and now is the time for them to move forward and live their lives.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdnsn0wflake
> 
> Prompt: Trowa/Quatre - a slow dance

For Quatre it was love, or at the very least, connection at first sight. There was something about Trowa, something he could not define, that clicked and made everything else fall into place. he carried with him a sense of rightness that Quatre had not felt since he made the decision to take Sandrock and go to Earth. He was comfortable with following his instincts and his heart no matter where they lead him. Even if that meant taking a risk on someone who, at the moment, was a stranger. 

For Trowa it was different. He was a soldier and he wasn’t ready or willing to just take someone’s offer of kindness and help at face value. He’d lost people he loved to that naive belief before. Though it was only himself at risk this time he was not willing believe that Quatre's outstretched hand didn't have a weapon hidden somewhere. Even after Zero restored his memories and broke down the walls around his emotions, he wasn’t sure. Life was too raw for him to be willing to take any leaps of faith. 

But, slowly and with the inevitability of matter being drawn into a black hole, he fell into Quatre's orbit, secured not by gravity, but his own sense of rightness.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: blackjackcat
> 
> Prompt: Wufei being scholarly in the Fall.

The weather was crisp and clear with just a hint of underlying chill, foreshadowing that winter was not that far off. Next to a large pile of leaves that had been decimated by students jumping and bouncing on them, Wufei found a quiet spot with large, smooth, rock to sit on. It even had a crack and a small shelf on one edge that worked as a cup holder for his still too hot to drink tea. He had to work just a tiny bit to get up on it, but once he was there he had a good view of the bustling campus around him without being in the way of students bustling to and from class.

After he had settled himself he pulled a novel from his backpack and opened it. He was ahead in the reading, but he liked to stay that way. It was the easiest part of his workload and the one that he didn't have problems with doing in public. He was halfway through the book and in the hour before his next class he planned to get a good start on the rest of it.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia  
Prompt: Team friendship, Christmas

cailamaia  
Team friendship, Christmas

Duo and Trowa were the only ones who had really celebrated Christmas before the war. Quatre and Wufei were not Christian and Heero’s upbringing was unconventional at best. For all of them the connection with mainstream secular and Christian culture was beyond tenuous. 

Trowa’s emotional connection to the day was minimal. Most of the mercs had celebrated, but growing up as part of a fighting group was not ideal for learning about the things that were part of the holiday season. 

For Duo, though it had a strong history but religious and secular. Because he had good memories Christmas was something that he wanted to share with the people he cared about. 

At first, it was just an excuse to exchange presents around the tree on Christmas Eve, but over time it grew into a multi day celebration of friendship that included elements from both Wufei’s and Quatre’s religions as well. Mostly, it was a time to relax and enjoy each other’s company with no pressure or expectations from the world at large.


End file.
